


do you understand me?

by purplepanties



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Eventual Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist, Fix-It, Forced Prostitution, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mindbreak, Multi, Not Happy, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, akiren is very very broken, and the thieves want to try save him, he will heal i promise, however you can read it as a standalone, i may break it but i sure as fuck fix it, maybe he'll have a palace idk for sure tho, mentioned shido/akira noncon, this is mostly for catharsis because i have not been able to rest, you know that one doujin called joker-r on myreadingmanga? this is a fix it for that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:34:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23629303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplepanties/pseuds/purplepanties
Summary: On the second day of November, Kurusu Akira seems to vanish off the face of Japan entirely.On the fifth day of November, the disbandment of the Phantom Thieves is announced on live television.On the seventh day of November, Niijima Sae's heart is stolen.On the fifteenth day of November, the identity of the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts is revealed on live television, along with his death sentence.On the thirtieth day of January, Akechi Goro uncovers the truth where he least expects it.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira/Other(s), Kurusu Akira/Shido Masayoshi (Mentioned)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 159





	1. vanishing act

**Author's Note:**

> imma be real. this is my first fic and is something i've written because joker-r on myreadingmanga fucked me up so bad i haven't been able to relax since then. hopefully this won't end up being too long because it's really just a catharsis fic. 
> 
> again, you don't have to read the doujin so i'll try to make it understandable if you've come across this and want to give it a read.

"Well?" Akechi asks, tapping his foot impatiently. 

Leblanc—the hideout of the _oh-so-notorious Phantom Thieves of Hearts_ —is silent. Akechi doesn't know why he has to be here; they secured the route to the Treasure in Sae's Palace two days ago (the Phantom Thieves were efficient if nothing else), the calling card is being prepared by Yusuke, and yet, for some reason, he had received a message on the Phantom Thieves' group chat saying to head to Leblanc for a meeting immediately. 

And despite it, the leader himself has yet to show up. 

Makoto has mentioned briefly that he has to join them when they meet to go into Mementos, and after what he believed should have been sufficient questioning on his part, he lets it slide, and accepts that he will be entering Mementos with the Thieves. 

An hour passes, but Akira does not show up. 

Just as Akechi is about to excuse himself, Morgana bursts into the cafe. “I can’t find him!”

Makoto frowns. “What do you mean, you can’t find him?”

Morgana huffs, out of breath, like he’s been running a long while. “He was meeting Lala in Shinjuku at Crossroads, so I was walking around, and when I came back I saw his phone on the floor outside!”

Ann chews on her lip. “So he disappeared… without his _phone_?” 

Morgana nods, reaching around for a small fanny pack looped around his waist. “Lala gave me this when I brought it to her—she knew it was his phone and that I’m Akira’s cat, so she told me to take it back.”

Akechi feels his stomach flip. _Something is wrong here._ “Disappeared alone, without his phone, in the _red light district_ in _Shinjuku_ … Morgana, can I see his phone?”

Morgana nods, tromping across the table to where Akechi is sitting, and the boy swiftly unbuckles the fanny pack from around the cat, taking out Akira’s phone: a quick examination shows that the phone itself still works, but there’s a small crack across the screen and the bottom is chipped, as if it had fallen from a height unprotected. 

As if it had been in a hand and quickly dropped. 

Akechi’s voice quietens. “What’s his password?”

“4-6-7-6,” Futaba answers.

Akechi unlocks the phone—it’s open to the phone app, and his messaging app (the one that he’d been on right before) has a half typed message to the Phantom Thieves’ group chat announcing that they’d be heading to Mementos. 

It all falls into place. 

“Akechi?” Yusuke asks, brow furrowed. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I think,” he says very slowly, not wanting to admit it to himself, “that Kurusu has been kidnapped.”

An obscenely loud _WHAT?!_ fills the cafe. 

After shushing everyone, Makoto speaks. “Akechi-kun, what could possibly have brought you to that conclusion?”

 _How can they be so stupid?_ He grits his teeth together. “It’s obvious. His second last used app is his messaging app, where he was gathering us to meet in Mementos. See, this message is almost fully typed. But the app that was last open was his phone app.

“That means that he must’ve been interrupted by something or someone and opened his phone app in haste. It had to have been something important, or he would have sent the message first.”

But that doesn’t mean—”

“Let me finish. You all know that Kurusu much prefers text conversations to phone ones, meaning it was something urgent, or it would have gone through text. But since there isn’t even a number dialed, it means that he didn’t get the _time_ to do so. I doubt Kurusu is the kind to switch to a random app for no reason, even to hide a conversation.

“That brings me to these.” Akechi gestures to the chipped base and the screen cracks. “Going by the little chips here,” he swipes along the base, little glass shards embedding themselves in his index finger, “I’d say that he dropped his phone. I don’t think he’d dropped it in shock, though, since he had already managed to switch to the phone app. It seems more likely to me that it slipped from his hand upon confrontation with someone.”

“Confrontation?” Ryuji echoes. 

“If I were to grab your wrist, Sakamoto, do you think you would drop that spoon in your hand?”

Experimentally, Ryuji tries to grab his own hand, and his grip on the spoon loosens. “So ya mean to say…”

Akechi narrows his eyes. “Yes, I believe that at the very least, he was taken somewhere by force, and in an attempt to notify someone, he dropped his phone.”

Makoto stands up immediately. “Then we have to go to Shinjuku right away!”

“Not all of us.” Akechi’s voice is firm. “If all of us go to Shinjuku and begin to question people there, it’ll stand out. The fact that he hasn’t used another phone to call anyone means that he’s in a position wherein it isn’t possible or it could end with him in trouble. Does anyone know any people who might know about what happens in Shinjuku?”

“I’m pretty sure Mishima hangs around there a lot,” Ryuji says tentatively. 

“I have a friend who works there part-time,” Makoto says. “I’ll ask her to keep an eye out and let me know if she’s seen anything.” 

Akechi nods. “In that case, the two of you should try and interrogate your contacts, but make sure that you don’t do it over the phone, just in case. Kitagawa-kun, can I ask you to accompany Sakamoto-kun?” _It would be best to prevent him from acting too rashly on his own, and if I’m not mistaken, that “Mishima” person is the one who runs the Phan-Site. It would be best for them to have a level head among them._

Then, he turns to the girls. “Okumura-san,” he says carefully, “do you think it would be possible to check if your father had any connections with people affiliated with any business owners in Shinjuku’s red light district?”

Haru nods. “I’ll do my best.”

“And Futaba-chan, I’m sure that with your skills it wouldn’t be too difficult to check the footage of surveillance cameras around. Furthermore, it’s imperative that someone aware of the circumstances remains at Leblanc should Kurusu return. In addition to that, if you can find something else out from Kurusu’s phone, please do.” Akechi passes her the phone, which she snatches eagerly, scrolling through something out of his sight.

“Uh, does a place like Shinjuku even _have_ surveillance cameras?”

Akechi smiled grimly. “It’s the shadiest places that are always the most wary with its customers. There will _definitely_ be important information within it. And on that note, I would like Takamaki-san and Morgana to accompany me there to investigate in person. Having just the three of us there would look far more innocuous than a group of seven plus a cat.”

“I’m not a cat!” Morgana protests, then adds, “...but, I do think your plan has merit, Akechi.” 

“In that case, let us begin immediately.”

* * *

**Phantom Thieves ft. no Akechi**

**Ryuji:** yall think hes tellin the truth?

 **Ann:** idk… seems kinda sus that he’s so aware?

 **Haru:** He did seem… rather on top of things

 **Makoto:** Honestly, I find it difficult to think he’s lying about this… 

**Futaba:** tbh i think makoto’s right

 **Futaba:** it conflicts way too directly w his plan for after the palace

 **Yusuke:** wait, oracle.

 **Yusuke:** akechi didn’t see this chat, did he? 

**Futaba:** nope thankfully akira has it archived on his phone

 **Ann:** oh thank god

 **Ann:** but that means akira’s really in danger

 **Makoto:** That’s true, but at least that means that Akechi’s on our side, at least for now…

 **Makoto:** Since he works with the police force, he’ll be able to help us on that front, since he can easily pose it as an investigation into a missing person. 

**Futaba:** also… i kinda get the feeling that he cares for akira

 **Futaba:** like, actually cares

 **Futaba:** idk

 **Futaba:** anyway

 **Futaba:** i can’t find anything aoy

 **Futaba:** yall try too

* * *

Akechi fidgets with his gloves. Of course, he’s no stranger to Shinjuku’s red light district, but it never fails to set him on high alert. His face twitches slightly, head tilting in a direction that’s all too familiar.

He wonders how long it would take to walk to his mother’s old house. Wonders if it’ll still smell like her perfume, or the air freshener she would spray the house with after the… evening visitors. Wonders if instead, the bitter iron stench of old blood will still permeate the air. _It won’t it won’t it won’t it won’t she’s dead she’s gone she isn’t coming back—_

Ann rests a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay, Akechi?”

He quickly schools his expression into a calmer one. “I’m fine.”

Morgana pokes his head out from Ann’s bag. “If there’s something bothering you, you can tell us.”

“It’s nothing, truly. I’m just… worried about Kurusu.”

Ann clearly isn’t buying it, but she thankfully doesn’t push it, and neither does Morgana. Instead, the cat pipes up, “There’s the bar Akira works at sometimes! Lala’s in there.”

Crossroads Bar is a nice place, Akechi decides. It’s got a calm, soothing atmosphere. He thinks he might come back for just the atmosphere, perhaps to celebrate when Shido is ruined for good. 

The owner, Lala, is relaxed, seemingly unbothered by the appearance of the Second Advent of the Detective Prince and a popular teen model in her bar. “Can I help you kids?”

“Excuse me,” Akechi says politely, “we’re looking for a boy who works part time here. Akira Kurusu?”

Lala nods. “He’s a good kid, but he isn’t here now. I’d asked him to come here to help unpack and organise some of the newer arrivals, but he didn’t show up. His cat did, though, with his phone.”

“He hasn’t been here at all?” Ann echoes sadly. 

Akechi’s face hardens. “I’m sure you’re aware of who I am, yes?” He doesn’t wait for an answer before brusquely continuing, “Kurusu is one of my friends, and appears to have gone missing without a trace over the course of the day. Without his phone, we have not been able to contact him, and he has not yet reached out to us. Furthermore, we have reason to believe that he has been taken somewhere forcibly from this area.”

Lala’s face stiffens as she dims the lights in the bar and closes up. “Have a seat. And tell me what happened.”

“He may have been kidnapped,” Ann blurts out desperately. “We thought that since he was supposed to be here, there was a chance you could’ve seen him…”

“Morgana brought his phone back, and it’s broken in places. Everything points towards him having been separated from his phone by force and he has made no move to contact us since then,” Akechi says, summarising it quickly. “We were wondering which places he normally frequents here in Shinjuku and if it would be possible to look for him.”

Lala shakes her head, but there’s a clear tension in her expression. “Damn it… of course a kid that good would end up having something happen to him…”

“Good?” Ann echoes. 

“You know he works here part-time, right? Each time he does, he talks to the regulars and is always trying to solve their problems. Totally earnest about it, too, and the customers love him.” Lala sighs. “I’m pretty sure a number of them have tried to sweet talk him into taking him home, but I’m always there to remind them that he’s a minor, and he’s responsible enough to politely turn them down each time.”

“That does sound like Akira,” Ann murmurs. 

Akechi bites his lip. In a place like Shinjuku, being a straitlaced little good boy isn’t any help to anyone. He knows that better than anyone. “He’s too naive,” he says under his breath, not expecting anyone to hear it. 

Morgana, however, nods. “I’m sure you’d be more aware of the dangers, since you’re a detective.”

Akechi smiles distantly, only too aware that the reason he knows this is because he knows Shinjuku like the back of his hand. 

Ann relays the information, and Lala says that she’ll have Ohya come by in a couple of days. In the meantime, she exchanges phone numbers with both Ann and Akechi (even though it was already on Akira’s phone) and says she’ll stay keen for any information. 

* * *

By the end of the day, the Phantom Thieves (sans their leader) reconvene to learn that they have found… absolutely nothing. 

According to Ryuji and Yusuke, Mishima said he hasn’t been in Shinjuku at all in the last week, but swore to keep an eye out in both real life and on the Phan-Site, and would check for any similar cases of disappearance. Makoto had said that her friend, Takao Eiko, had seen Akira around Shinjuku a lot lately, but mostly in Crossroads Bar and to stock up on Arginades and _Water of Rebirth_ s from the vending machines. 

Haru has looked into the system, using her father’s old accounts with Futaba’s aid, and has, at the very least, a list of names of potential connections, all of which require further investigating, given that Futaba can only do so much hacking while simultaneously trying to keep an eye out around Shinjuku and for any and all internet traces of Akira. 

Akechi, Morgana, and Ann share their own minimal news with the group. 

“Dammit! This is effin’ _bullshit_!” Ryuji yells, slamming his fist down on the table in Akira’s eerily empty room. 

“Where _is_ he…?” Ann murmurs quietly, tears welling up in her eyes. “Even normally, he would be back by now… and for him to be gone without his _phone_ …?”

Akechi frowns. “I can try to set up a missing person investigation, but there’s a good chance it could get Sakura-san into trouble as his probation officer—Futaba-chan, I trust you’ve already informed him about the current situation?”

Futaba nods. “Haru and I told him earlier, and he kind of flipped out—not at us, but still… he doesn’t know what we’re going to tell his parents…”

“I believe it would be best to refrain from saying anything until we have some form of confirmation at the very least. We should wait until the end of the week before contacting the police about it.”

A ripple of mutters runs through the group, but they all assent before agreeing to disband for the day. 

* * *

The next two days are chaotic and fretful for everyone. Ryuji, Haru, Morgana, and Yusuke head into Mementos immediately after school to try and interrogate Shadows to see if they’ve heard anything about Akira’s whereabouts; Futaba and Mishima scour the internet to find images, traces, or even mentions of him online; Ann makes use of her connections to ask around; Makoto and Akechi run their own investigations after school hours. 

No one finds anything. Not so much as a whisper. 

Akechi goes home more exhausted than ever. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it concretely, he’s grown attached to Akira. And for him to go missing near a red light district? That’s almost equivalent to a death sentence. 

His phone rings, and for a brief moment, he absolutely fucking _prays_ that it’s Akira because he’s about to lose his mind. 

It’s Shido. 

He scrambles to clear his throat and adjust his tone as he answers. “Good evening, sir.”

“Akechi. You can call off that little plan with the Phantom Thieves.”

Akechi’s heart stops, then picks up again at twice its usual rate. “Come again, sir? Did something happen?”

Shido just laughs derisively. “The announcement of the disbandment of the Phantom Thieves will be made public tomorrow morning. Turns out their leader took care of himself.” Shido chortles like it’s some kind of inside joke. 

Akechi forces a lighter tone, heart racing. “I suppose that makes my job significantly easier, then. May I ask how you managed to capture him?” He figures it’s safe to ask; Shido seems to be in a good mood. 

Shido just laughs patronisingly. “In due time, Akechi. That isn’t something to concern yourself with. And if the Phantom Thieves can’t continue without their leader as you say, it would do you well to leave them. I can’t have one of my primary assets wasting time.”

Akechi’s mind is working at its full capability. Shido isn’t going to tell him at all. “Understood, sir. But it might take some time for me to pull away from them, as we’ve established something of a rapport, especially given that their leader is now... taken care of.”

“In that case, what about becoming their leader?”

“That might be difficult, sir. They may be foolish and blind as dogs, but they’re certainly as loyal as them too.”

“Tch. Then just make sure they don’t suspect anything.”

Akechi wants to say that they’ve suspected him since the beginning given how abruptly he’s been made to join their group, but he refrains. “Of course, sir.”

“I mean it, Akechi. Kill them if you must; if they end up uprooting my plans, you know what will happen to you.”

Akechi briefly visualises his dismembered body floating among sewage in a drain far underground, of rumours surrounding his disappearance slowly fading into nothingness as he’s forgotten. Thinks of being sold off illegally, being forced to use his body to amass an income, of the “value” of an attractive high school boy. Remembers his mother as she was made to do the same just to keep them both alive. “Yes, sir.” Then after his head clears, “However, the continued deaths of teenagers would stand out. For now, I’ll keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t do anything... rash. The Phantom Thieves are nothing without a leader, after all.”

“Yes, yes, just make it work.” There’s a blatantly implied ‘or else’ enlaced in his tone. 

“Yes, sir. Goodnight.”

Shido ends the call first, and before Akechi ends the call on his end, he says into the safety and promise of the static, “Fuck you too, Shido Masayoshi. I can’t _wait_ until you get what’s coming to you.”

Once again, he closes his eyes and thinks of Akira’s smile. 

At least his smile will be his last memory of him. 

* * *

**Phantom Thieves ft. No Akechi**

**Futaba:** !!!!!!!!!!!!URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 **Futaba:** holy shit guys it’s about akira

 **Futaba:** everyone get on here rIGHT NOW

 **Futaba:** give this a listen

 **Futaba:** akechi.mp3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "aoy" in futaba's text stands for "as of yet"


	2. invisible platform

**Phantom Thieves ft. No Akechi**

**Futaba:** !!!!!!!!!!!!URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Futaba:** holy shit guys it’s about akira

**Futaba:** everyone get on here rIGHT NOW

**Futaba:** give this a listen

**Futaba:** akechi.mp3

**Makoto:** Oh my god… 

**Haru:** So Akira-kun is… dead?

**Ryuji:** holy shit… 

**Ann:** this is insane oh my gos

**Ryuji:** what the actual fuck though

**Ryuji:** the people akechi works with kidnapped and KILLED akira?!!?

**Ryuji:** we knew that asshole was shady as shit but what the hell!

**Ann:** no we knew he was gonna try kill akira but from what he said doesnt this mean like

**Ann:** yknow 

**Ann:** akechi wasnt actually in on this?

**Makoto:** You’re right about that, Ann. He’s clearly not responsible for this.

**Haru:** Also… listen to the way he’s talking about us

**Haru:** He’s deflecting this… person’s suspicion of us

**Makoto:** Then… Akechi-kun’s trying to protect us? 

**Yusuke:** i don’t understand… what is akechi trying to accomplish?

**Futaba:** guys listen till the VERY end

**Futaba:** it’s important

**Ryuji:** theres more?!

**Makoto:** Masayoshi Shido… Akechi gave us a name! 

**Futaba:** GUYS

**Futaba:** LISTEN TO HIM JFC

**Ann:** HOLY SHIT

**Yusuke:** this… 

**Futaba:** SEE

**Makoto:** He’s… against Shido? But that means…

**Haru:** He’s being controlled… Shido himself says that Akechi doesn’t have a choice

**Futaba:** the way he reacted too. he DEF likes akira i was right

**Futaba:** never seen akechi get this worked up before

**Ryuji:** DUDE THIS SHIT SOUNDS PERSONAL

**Yusuke:** i’ve just checked, this shido person has a palace. 

**Haru:** Wait, guys… I’ve heard this name before

**Haru:** I think he was one of my father’s associates! His name turned up the other day too

**Futaba:** guys

**Futaba:** imma be real… we can’t really do this without akira

**Futaba:** no offense to queen as our strategist but even if the 7 of us were to go in we wouldn’t be able to even have every type of persona skill 

**Futaba:** none of us have bless or curse or the connections akira had

**Ann:** he’s… rlly gone… 

**Yusuke:** i...am trying not to think about it. i cannot accept it.

**Makoto:** Me either, but… the truth is the truth… 

**Haru:** If what we heard is genuine

**Haru:** Would it be presumptuous of me to think that perhaps Akechi might be willing to help us on this?

**Ann:** would u b okay with that tho? futaba too

**Futaba:** ……...tbh

**Futaba:** it’s clear that this prick has smth on akc and has for a while

**Futaba:** and we all knew that there was someone giving akc orders

**Futaba:** plus lbr akechi doesn’t seem like the type who’d pull shit like that

**Futaba:** idk after hearing all this it’s kinda hard to feel like akc is responsible for it

**Ryuji:** yea as much as akechi was kind of a dick too it’s like

**Ryuji:** that convo he was having with that shido asshat sounded a lot like

**Ryuji:** well

**Ryuji:** it sounded like when my mom used to try negotiatin with my dad

**Ryuji:** and hed threaten her and shit

**Ann:** ryuji…..

**Ryuji:** i’m… kinda with taba on this 

**Haru:** I understand what you mean, Ryuji

**Haru:** And Futaba, I feel the same way as you do -- though maybe not to the same extent

**Haru:** But if Akechi-kun will be able to help us avenge Akira… 

**Makoto:** … is he really gone? Dead? Just… like that?

**Makoto:** Oh… sorry. I didn’t mean… to bring down the mood like this.

**Yusuke:** ...it is quite unfair that there was nothing we were able to do. 

**Yusuke:** but… with akechi’s help, i believe it would be possible to uncover the truth.

**Yusuke:** robin hood does have the two elements we lack, after all, too: bless and curse.

**Makoto:** ...you’re right, of course, but…

**Makoto:** It’s just that… Akechi-kun is still involved with these people.

**Ann:** yeah but he’s clearly against them too, and if he cared about akira like taba says

**Ann:** we can convince him pretty easily

**Ryuji:** mayb we should discuss this in person?

**Ryuji:** i think we all have a lot to talk about hh

**Makoto:** Then let’s all meet up at Leblanc tomorrow… 

* * *

_“Tcheh. Still won’t obey?”_

_“No, sir. He won’t comply no matter how we try to silence him. Seems to be quite adept at avoiding or deflecting.”_

_“Bah. Drug him.”_

_“We tried that already, sir. He won’t even eat or drink. He managed to kick the plate away.”_

_“Survival instinct’ll kick in eventually. He’s a teenage boy, he won’t be able to hold out for long. We’ve broken in tougher than that.”_

* * *

When Akechi steps inside Leblanc, the last thing he expects is to be dragged upstairs by Ann the second the door opens. 

“What—”

“Shh! Just come upstairs!”

“ _ Takamaki-san— _ ”

Before he can comprehend what’s going on, his face is covered and his wrists are duct taped together behind his back, and he’s forced into a sitting position on what he presumes is Akira’s couch. 

The… obstruction is then removed from his face, revealing a cold scowl. “Can someone  _ explain _ to me just  _ what _ is going on?”

Makoto—who just happens to be the one holding the duct tape roll—is the first to reply. “We had to neutralise you just in case this doesn’t turn out as planned.”

“And just  _ what _ are you referring to?” Akechi can feel his eye twitch. The pleasant boy face is nearly impossible to put in now, but he figures he has ample reasoning to  _ not _ be pleasant about this situation. 

Instead of a reply, he hears his own voice being played back. 

_ “We can say he stole the guard’s gun and committed suicide during his imprisonment… How about that?” _

_ “Yes, the guard will be one of ours. We’ll have to eliminate him after to destroy the evidence though…” _

_ “I suppose that makes my job significantly easier, then. May I ask how you managed to capture him?” _

_ “But it might take some time for me to pull away from them, as we’ve established something of a rapport, especially given that their leader is now... taken care of.” _

_ “The Phantom Thieves are nothing without a leader, after all.” _

_ “Fuck you too, Shido Masayoshi. I can’t wait until you get what’s coming to you.” _

His mind works at a million miles an hour to find a suitable response. Akechi can’t cross his arms, but he gets his point across by leaning back on the couch and crossing one leg over the other. “What are you attempting to prove here? If you’ve been listening in on my calls you are aware that I don’t know where Kurusu is.”

Futaba inhales with a sharp sob in the corner, and maybe Akechi feels a  _ little _ guilty. 

Haru looks appalled. “He’s  _ dead _ because of someone working with you and you don’t even…”

Ann interrupts. “Listen, Akechi. We won’t let our leader just  _ go _ like that. You clearly know what’s going on here and you hate the same guy!”

“So essentially, you’re leaderless and thus want to recruit  _ me _ for some kind of ridiculous  _ revenge _ ploy?”

Yusuke scoffs. “It sounds an awful lot to me, Akechi, that you too are trying to exact ‘some kind of ridiculous revenge ploy’. I hardly believe it is within the range of reason to deny it.”

Akechi quickly runs several ideas through his mind. Of course, the jolly band of idiot thieves are being as foolishly trusting as ever, given that they’re aware that he was going to kill Akira, but what else could he expect? And besides, there’s no point in denying it, especially since they seem to have more pressing concerns. 

And all too quickly, a plan falls into place. Akechi puts on his nicest smile. “I’ll join, then.”

There’s a beat of silence. It’s clear that they weren’t expecting him to agree so readily. “Turn on the television,” he says. Ryuji complies easily. 

_ “—der of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts has turned himself in to the police for interrogation now, announcing the disbandment of the group and submitting himself for trial. This trial will, of course, be conducted privately, following a thorough interrogation. Further details remain unknown to the media.” _

Makoto gasps, and Futaba lets out another sob. 

Akechi bares his teeth into a savage grin. “Well then,” he says, making eye contact with the rest of the group. “It’s a good thing your leader isn’t dead, isn’t it?”

“Huh!?”

“If you’re all willing to untie me, I’d be glad to explain. You have me cornered, after all.”

Makoto hesitates, but complies, slicing through the layers of tape on his wrists with a pair of scissors from Akira’s workbench. Immediately after, Morgana bounds over from Akira’s bed to plop himself firmly on Akechi’s lap. “This way, you won’t be able to try anything risky,” the cat says, narrowing his eyes at Akechi. 

Akechi rolls his eyes, but doesn’t protest. Instead, his hands absently move to Morgana’s head, petting the cat as though he’s one of the strays that like to wander around Akechi’s own apartment. Neither Morgana nor Akechi mind—Morgana seems to be surprisingly comfortable with the pets, and Akechi takes it as an opportunity to 

“As I was trying to say,” Akechi continues, ignoring the Phantom Thieves as they stare bug-eyed at him petting Morgana as though it’s second nature, “Shido is the kind who likes to boast, to show off. If Kurusu’s dead, he’d be flaunting it, celebrating over dinners and fancy wines.” His face curls up in disgust. “Right now, the only leverage Shido has is that he knows that Kurusu is, at least, temporarily out of commission. He has some information about where he is, and might know who has him, but aside from that, he has minimal information.”

I… see,” Makoto says carefully. 

“That means— that means we can  _ find _ him!”

“Wait. If Shido doesn’t know where he is, I doubt we’ll be able to find out. I believe it is imperative that we finish dealing with Sae-san first.”

“My sister? Why?”

He grits his teeth. “Because,  _ Niijima-san _ , what do you think your sister will be willing to do in a state where the Phantom Thief leader, whose case she is on, has been captured and she isn’t being given so much as an explanation?”

Makoto’s eyes widen, clearly recalling the casino. 

“Then…” Futaba murmurs, “We gotta send the calling card tonight.”

“Indeed. Kitagawa-kun, is the calling card ready?”

“It is.”

“Then we change Sae-san’s heart tomorrow.”

“...okay, Akechi-kun.”

* * *

**Phantom Thieves**

**Makoto:** I gave Sis the card. I’m pretty sure it worked. 

**Goro:** Then we go into the Palace tomorrow, as soon as you’re all out from school.

**Ryuji:** who made U leader wtf

**Haru:** No, it makes sense, since he knows the most about what’s going on

**Haru:** And besides, there’s no reason he’d try to betray us at this point

**Ann:** ur right

**Futaba:** wdym, ‘you’re all’?

**Yusuke:** well, considering that you do not attend school, i’m sure you’re exempt from that.

**Goro:** Of course, I will not be attending school tomorrow, either.

**Ann:** wait what

**Goro:** From today, I will be attempting to find Kurusu’s location. School is the last of my concerns right now. 

**Futaba:** the life of a hitman-detective-smartypants-in-love… 

**Goro:** Excuse me?

**Futaba:** we been knew, akechi

**Ann:** tbf you didnt exactly try to hide it since that day at the station

**Goro:** I am not in love with Kurusu>

**Ryuji:** bruh

**Yusuke:** you clearly are significantly more invested in akira than anyone else on a level that i would perhaps like to paint.

**Goro:** I fail to see howt his is relecant.

**Goro:** *how this

**Goro:** *relevant

**Haru:** Personal feelings aside, how is Morgana?

**Goro:** Your cat seems to be doing fine. 

**Goro:** I apologise, your not-cat. \\\\\\\

**Makoto:** Akechi-kun?

**Goro:** I have received a claw to the leg. 

**Ryuji:** lmfaoooooo

**Goro:** That aside, I will likely be contacting Shido within the next few days. Futaba-chan, I presume you would be willing to help me with the collection of intel?

**Futaba:** yeah

**Goro:** The priority here is saving Kurusu. 

**Haru:** Yes, I’m sure everyone will be putting our personal feelings aside for now

**Haru:** We will deal with everything else afterwards

**Goro:** Thank you.

* * *

_ “Listen to us, you little shit!” _

_ “If it weren’t for your pretty little face and body, you’d have received a thorough beating by now.” _

_ “Why won’t you listen?!” _

_ “Strong spirited, this one… we’ll see how long that lasts.” _

_ “Little shit just spat on my shoe. The sooner we break him in, the better.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [akechi.mp3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ)


End file.
